Can



NOV. 17, 1931. SEBELL 1,832,251

CAN

Filed Oct. 7, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 inventor.

Harry Sebeu y MMMW AHys.

NOV. 17, 1931. SEBELL 1,832,251

CAN

Filed Oct. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VlI/IIIIIIIIIO \hvenfor.

. Hurry Spbefl by Haw-4 M A TTys,

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE HAR Y SEIBELL, oRBosToN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To ARTHUR H.

- PARKER, or LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS CAN Application filed October 7, 1 929. Serial No. 397,950.

This invention relates to cans or containers and particularly to a construction designed to facilitate the opening of a sealed can. The features wherein my inventionreside will be. more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings which illustrate'a selected embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a can made in accordance with my invention and showing one embodiment thereof;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a different embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 6 showing the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 55, 1 but showing the wedgingstrip remove Fig. 6 is a section on the same line but illustrating the wedging strip in operatlve position;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through a can showing a different embodiment of the invention' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing a still difl'erent construction;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the locking strip;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing still a different embodiment;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 1111, Fig.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the locking strip shown in Fig. 10; 40 Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a modified locking strip.

In the drawings 1 indicates a can body and 2 the cover therefor. The cover is of the socalled slip-on variety, that is, it is formed with the depending flange or skirt 3 which fits over the top portion 4 of the can body. The can is tightly sealed by means of a gasket 5 which is confined between the top edge 6 of the can body and the cover 2.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the upper portion 40f. the can body and the skirt 3 of the can cover are arranged to have an interlocking engagement, this being accomplished by providing one of the 7 parts with an annular bead and the other part with an annular groove which corresponds to the bead.

In Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 the upper portion 4 of the can body is made with an annular bead 7 while the skirt 3 of the cover is formed with a slight annular indentation or groove 8 on its face which fits over the head when the cover is applied.

In applying the cover or removing it the lower edge portion of the cover below the groove 8 has to be forced over the bead 7. This bead is of relatively small proportions and there is sufficient give or yield to the said edge portion of the cover to permit it to spring over the bead as the cover is applied or removed but the resistance which the bead affords is not so great but what the cover can be placed in position or removed by hand.

Instead of making the head in the portion 4 I of the can and the groove in the cover, these features may be reversed, that is, the groove may be made in the portion 4; of the can body as shown at 28 in Fig. 8 while the bead may be formed in the skirt 3 of the cover as shown at 29 in Fig. 8. In this case the head will be on the inside of the skirt and-the can and cover will he so constructed relatively that a little pressure will be required to force the bead 29 over the portion 30 of the can 1 above the groove 28 so that when the can cover is forced home the bead will tend to snap into the groove 28.

The cover is locked to the can body after it is applied by means of a wedging strip 10, one end 11 of which is situated between the skirt 3 of the cover and the portion 4 of the can body, said wedging strip extending through an aperture 13 in the skirt and the end 12 thereof being exposed on the outside of the cover.

The portion 11 of the wedging strip overlies the bead, whether the latter is formed in the can body as in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 or is formed in the cover as in Fig. 8, and when the cover is applied said strip will be caused to conform to the bead and will fit into the groove 8 or 28. The presence of the wedging strip causes the bead and groove to be firmly interlocked around the periphery of the can and also causes firm interlocking of the bead and groove at the point'where the strip is located. The cover is thus firmly and securely locked in place and the hermetic sealing of the cover is effected by the gasket 5.

The can is opened by withdrawing the strip 10 and this may conveniently be accomplished by applying a key to the end 12 of the strip and winding said end on the key, this operation serving to withdraw. the end 11 of the strip from its position between the skirt 3 and the top edge 4 of the can through the slot 13. As soon as the stri has been removed then the cover is unloc ed and can be readily forced off from the can. So long as the strip is in position the cover is wedged in place and cannot be loosened but with the strip removed it is possible to easily open the can.

The wedging strip 10 may simply be placed loosely in the.- cover with one end projecting through the opening 13 but it may be convenient to provide for retaining the strip in its position within the skirt of the cover while the cover is being applied to the can body.

This may be done by lightly soldering the extremity of the portion 11 of the strip to the inside of the cover or it might be accomplished by providing the cover with two openings 13 and 33 through both of which the strip 10 is threaded as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

' With this arrangement the strip will not only be held in position while the cover is being applied to the can but the strip may be removed by applying a pulling strain to either end thereof.

Another construction is illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 wherein the skirt 3 has a tongue 34 struck up therefrom which extends through an opening 35 in the strip 10 and overlies the latter. The tongue 34 will thus hold the inner end of the strip in position while the cover is being applied to the can but it does not interfere with withdrawing the strip when the can is to be opened.

It will, of course, be obvious that the tongue 34 may be used with respect to the strip 10 without however, utilizing an opening 35. That is to say if the tongue 34 projected either downwardly or upwardly of the cover and on the'skirt 3 then the strip 10 would sit behind the tongue and there would be no necessity of forming the opening 35.

In Fig. 13 there is illustrated a slightly different form of strip in which the strip is corrugated throughout a portion of its length as shown at 36. The purpose of corrugations is to provide in the strip 10 a compressible body effective to take up any possible play between the skirt 3 and the top portion 4 of the canbody. Otherwise the strip will function exactly as the other forms of strip.

skirt, and said top portion of the can for a' limited distance at one side of the can, said strip projecting through an opening in said skirt and having one end exposed on the outside thereof, the presence of the strip between the can body and the skirt of the cover serving to lock the cover frictionally to the can body, said strip being removable by applying a pulling strain to the exposed end thereof.

2. A can comprising a can body and a cover therefor provided with a depending skirt which embraces the end of the can body, the portion of the can body embraced by the skirt having a peripheral bead and the skirt having an annular groove to receive the bead and a wedging strip having a portion located between the can body and the skirt of the cover for a limited distance at one side of the can and also having a portion exposed on the outside of said cover, the presence of the strip between the can body and the skirt ofthe cover producing an interlocking of the bead and groove thereby to hold the cover positively inplace, said strip being removable by applying pulling strain to the exposed end thereof.

3. A can comprising a can body, a cover for the can having a skirt portion which encloses the top portion of the can, a Wedging strip having a portion confined between said skirt and said top portion of the can for a limited distance on one side of the can, said strip projecting through an opening in said skirt and having one end exposed on the outside thereof, said .strip being corrugated throughout the confined portion thereof and the presence of the strip between the can body and the skirt of the cover serving to lock the cover frictionally to the'can body, said strip being removable by applying a pulling strain to the exposed end thereof.

7 In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY SEBELL. 

